Fuel-indicator



L'. COOPER.

FUEL INDICIATOR. APPLICATION FIL-ED PR. I6, |920.

Patented June 7, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. COOPER.

FUEL INDICATOR.

APPLICATION 'FILED APR. I6. 1920. l 1,380,359. Patented June 7, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

. Leonard Coo/oer* UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE.

LEONARD COOPER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASS-IGNOR F ONE-FOURTH T0 THEO- DORE O. HICKOK AlTD ONE-FOURTH TO FRANK T. MILLER, BOTH 0F SYEACUSE,

NEW YORK.

FUEL-INDICATOR.

1 ,380,359, Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 7, 1921. Application filed April 16, 1920. Serial No. 374,446. To allwhom 'iz/'may concern.' 8 are provided with gudgeons 8 and 8a,

y Be it known that I, LEONARD COOPER, a by which the guide is pivoted in the line of citizen of the United States, residing at the axis of the chamber 6. The gudgeon 8 Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and pivots in a socket 8" in the bottom of the 5 State of New York, have invented certain cylinder 6, while the gudgeon 8a isjournaled 60 new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Indiin a bearing 8c, which is supported by a disk cators, of which the following is a specifica- 9a. The gudgeon 8a preferably passes loosely tion. through and extends above the said disk.

This invention. relates to fuel indicators The float 7 is provided at its opposite sides 10 for automobiles, and has for its object to with trunnions 7, which are received by 65 provide novel and simple mechanism for and play in spiral slots 7 c, which are cut in measuring and constantly indicating the the opposite sides of the cylinder 6` one of depth or amount of gasolene in the fuel which is shown in Fig. 2. By this contructank. A further object is to provide a float tion and arrangement of the parts, when the controlled electric distributer or switch, iioat is raised and lowered by the filling and 70 which is mounted on the fuel tank, and emptying of the tank 5, the iioat is given a which electrically controls and operates an partial rotary or twisting motion, in oppoindicator, which is conveniently mounted site directions, which rotates the flat guide on the dash, or like support, in plain view 8 correspondingly. 9 designates a hollow of the driver of the automobile. And a furcylindrical casing which is mounted upright 75 ther object is to generally improve and simon the threaded flange, its top and bgttom plify the construction, arrangement and op-V being open, and the bottom being provided eration of fuel indicators of the class. with an annular flange 9', which is gripped I attain these objects by the means set by a gland-nut 5a, for rigidly holding the forth in the detailed description which folsaid casing in place and in line with the 80 lows, and as illustrated by the accompanychamber 6. The bottom end of casing 9 is ing drawing, in whichsubstantially closed by the disk 9a. Above Figure 1 is a skeleton view of an autothe nut 5a the casing 9 is expanded for promobile to which my improvement is applied. viding an annular ledge 9", which supports a Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through stationary disk 11, the latter preferably be- 85 the float chamber and related parts, taken on ing fiber and tightly fitted into the casing 9. line 2-2 of Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a central ver- The disk 11 supports the stationary and tical section, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 6. movable parts of the electric switch or cur- F ig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken on line rent distributer, which controls the indica- 4:-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar section, tor proper. The disk 11 is perforated cen- 90 taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a face trally to receive a shaft 12, which extends view of the indicator proper. Fig. 7 is a above and below said disk, the lower end of diagrammatic view of the electric circuits. said shaft being operatively connected to the And Fig. 8 is a reduced end view of the gudgeon 8a, by a liber or other coupling 12',

tioat. t which insulates said parts, the said coupling 95 In the drawings, 2 represents generally an being secured to said shaft and gudgeon by automobile; 3 is the dash; 4 is the usual pins 12a. 13 is a smaller disk of fiber, which storage battery, and 5 is the fuel tank, which is rigidly mounted on the disk 11, and is is usually disposed at the rear of the car. perforated centrally 'to receive a fiber sleeve 6 designates a hollow cylindrical float 13,which insulates the intermediate portion 100 chamber, having an open top, which is disof the shaft 12. Upon the disk 13 are posed upright in the tank 5, the latter being mounted concentric rings 14 and 15, which perforated for the purpose at its top and form parts of an electric circuit comprising provided with a threaded flange. Within a battery A, a wire A', which connects the the cylinder 6 is disposed a cylindrical fioat positive pole ofthe battery lto the ring 14, 105 7, which has a slot-like opening extending and a wire A2, which connectes the negative through its longitudinal center, to loosely repole of the battery to the ring 15. Around l 'de bar 8, upon which the the outer edge of the disk 13, are dlsposed a ceive a. flat gui c float slides as it ascends and descends in the number of simllar metal segments, the sam?1 all 110 chamber 6. The opposite ends of the guide being arranged in pairs, as a--a bb,

c--o, which are suitably insulated from each other, and to each segment is' connected a wire, as a2, a3, b2, b3, 02 and c3, the said wires extending forwardly from the tank 5, (preferably as a cable C) toward the dash 3. The movable parts of the distributer or switch consist of a fiber or other block 16, which is rigidly mounted on the shaft 12, and is supported chiefly by the sleeve 13 a suitable distance from the disk 13, the upper end portion of the shaft 12 preferably being square, so as to effect the rotation of said block. The block 16 is bored out to receive a number of carbon or other brushes 17-17 and 18-18, which are resiliently lheld in contact with the rings 14 and 15 and the segments a-b-cg by springs 17El and 18a, the said springs being tied together at 17b and 18b and serving as conductors for electrically connecting, the corresponding brushes. hese springs are held i'n place by a plate 16. The cable C for a part of its length includes battery wires A and A2, the said cable passing out of the casing 9 by means of a drawn neck 9. The top of the casing is closed cap 9d.

following parts: 19 is a hollow tubular casing, open at its opposite ends, and having its intermediate portion spun or otherwise operated upon for providingy an internal rib 19', which supports an annular coil 20, consisting of an iron core 20', and a continuous winding of wire 20a. Above the coil 20 is and its perforated flange 28 rests upon the dash 3 or other suitable support, Where it is held in place by screws 28a. The wires z2-a3, 2-63 and 02-03 extend from, the corresponding segments o-f the distributer to binding-posts 24, 24224 etc., carried by the closure 24, and thence lead to and tap the coil 20 at equidi'stant points in the circle of said coil, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. In Fig. 7 the wires of each pair, as t2-a3, etc., connect with the coil 20 at diametricallyoppd site points, so that when the battery current is carried over the several lines to said coil, the magnet 26 is attracted and rotated like an armature, in a well-known manner, in the proper direction for indicating the filling or emptying of the tank 5. Thus while the tank is being filled with gasolene, the and in doing effecting the clockwise rotation o the armature 26 and the pointer 22, until the latter points to the last dial sector opposite the word Full Thereafter, as the gasolene is consumed by the motor, the float 7 gradually descends in the chamber 6 and IDSGIed a d 1Sk-1kS dial 21, Whch Pmfe'ably 'and it is positive and automatic in its operafits snugly into the upper end Of the CaSHlg tion. t requires no attention or care after 19, and has a number of depending lugs 21.', it is once properly installed The fuel tank which bear upon -and hold the coil 20 1H may be located at any suitable distance from place. The lugs of the dial and the casing t 1e indicator proper, and the latter ma be are correspondingly perforated to receivelocated in any suitable position, while the riyets or screws 21a. The dial 21 is provided e ectric current employed for operating the with a broken circle 2lb, which is subdisignal may be derived from a battery or vided into equal sections (black and white irect from a generator, without requiiiing alternating) for indicating gallons of the any alteration or change in the mechanism. fuel, and also letters or symbols fo-r indicat- Having thus described my invention what ing that the tank 5 is empty or full. Above claim, isf lower end pivoted in a threaded plug 23', which is adjustably supported by a fiber disk 24, the said disk being' threaded An indica-tor of the class described, including a hollow casing provided with an inturned annular rib, an annular coil supported by said rib, va dial mounted concentrically with and above said coil, said dial having a number of depending lugs which bear upon andhold the coil iii place, a pointer pivotally mounted for sweeping said dial, a spindle supporting said pointer disposed concentrically with and in said coil and said dial. and an armature carried b said spindle and operated step-by-step by electric currents passing through different segments of said coil.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEONARD COOPER, 

